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Ever dreamed of working on Top Gear? How about being a host on Top Gear? Well here's you chance.

Top Gear and BBC producers announced yesterday that they are holding an open casting call for the wildly popular TV show about cars. After the dismissal of the well known and charismatic Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson earlier this month. The reason Clarkson was let go from the show seems to be the fact that he threw a punch at one of the Top Gear producers.

Even though Jeremy Clarkson has left Top Gear, the show must go on and the Top Gear production team has decided to run open casting calls. What does that mean? Basically anyone with some automotive media experience and a desire to be the new Top Gear host can apply. They are inviting people to send in applications for the job via the official Top Gear website. This is a bit unusual as a position as important as this usually isn't how producers find a replacement. You would expect the BBC and Top Gear production would reach out to potential hosts to fill Clarkson's role with the other hosts James May and Richard Hammond. Inside sources have reported that the producers for the BBC and Top Gear have been scrambling to find a replacement and this statement by Andy Wilman stated on the application page shows why they are doing this;

“Initially we were only holding discussions with a select few we thought would be ideal to replace Jeremy Clarkson. However, due to scheduling or contractual requirements none of these hosts will work for next season's Top Gear in the short term.”

Once the page went up on the Top Gear website announcing the open casting call, the website was flooded with traffic and applications. It brought down the server for several hours last night but the Top Gear web hosting and site team seems to have resolved any issues now. The site and page is back up and running. It's been reported from several sources that there have been tens of thousands of applications since the open casting announcement. An update on the page reads;

The Top Gear producers put some requirements here but many seemed to have been ignored by the excitement over this open casting call.

Still the requirements are pretty open considering choosing a new Top Gear host is no easy task. On the page it says, “The new host should ideally be British but we are open to considering a new host who is not from the United Kingdom. However, you must be a native English speaker and have grown up in a country where English is a native language.” I assume this includes the United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and some other countries.

Ideally applicants should submit work showing 3+ years of past work within the auto media industry. This can include written work in online or print publications, radio, TV, or online shows. Credentials with an auto media organization are also preferred. Andy Wilman says does say;

We will look at anyone who we think can truly fill Jeremy Clarkson's shoes. Experience is preferred but does don't matter.

Another part of the application is submitting a video of yourself hosting and talking, explaining why you should be chosen. You will need to be good on TV after all and obviously you will have to have good on air chemistry with Richard Hammond and James May. They are planning on doing screen tests for potential hosts at the end of the summer.

Letting Jeremy Clarkson go has put the BBC in precarious position. Top Gear isn't just another show for media conglomerate, since it funds lots of TV shows they produce which do not make money. Top Gear is arguable the crown jewel of the BBC as has hundreds of millions of viewers across the globe and is broadcast in many different countries and varied languages. Top Gear is a huge cash cow an revenue machine for the BBC. The production team is worried letting Jeremy Clarkson go and leaving Richard Hammond and James May could potentially not work. Top Gear USA was cancelled due to a poor ratings and high productions costs. The BBC and Top Gear want to avoid the “Top Gear America disaster and horror” as one producer put it.

It's hard to know what Top Gear producers are looking for but it seems they are trying to cast a wide net and see what they turn up. I imagine they will continue to be flooded with applications in the coming weeks. The window for applying closes at the end of this month, so that should give any potential hosts out there a chance to apply to be the next Top Gear host.

Will you be applying to be the next Top Gear host? What would you do if you replaced Jeremy Clarkson?

Today is April 11th and it happens to be Jeremy Clarkson's birthday. Since he is the most loved and celebrated Top Gear host I thought I would just wish a Happy Birthday to Jeremy Clarkson. He turns 54 today if you can believe it. Do you think he seems older or younger than 54?

Other people who were born on April 11th include the Brazilain supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio, which is honestly better than any Top Gear host, and British singer Joss Stone.

If you would also like to wish Jeremy Clarkson a Happy Birthday please leave a comment below. Let me know what your favorite Clarkson quote or epic Top Gear moment is.

Do you love Top Gear? If you read this awesome website of course you do. How about the TV show Breaking Bad?

Well if you love both of these TV shows you might just have to watch the latest season of Top Gear Series 21 with Aaron Paul who played Jesse Pinkman on Breaking Bad. He was on Top Gear recently to promote his latest movie Need for Speed based on the popular video game franchise. He talks about Need for Speed and how there are no special effects used in the movie and everything you see is real. In addition he mentions he has no idea what crystal meth is and Jeremy Clarkson says he apparently loves Breaking Bad even though it was never on TV in the UK. I guess they binge watch on Netflix too. The interview also touches on cars used in the critically acclaimed TV show. Who could forget the Pontiac Aztek? As well they get into what cars Aaron Paul has owned. Currently in his garage he has an original 1965 Shelby Cobra. Remember cooking meth is a profitable business.

After Jeremy Clarkson gets done talking with him about Breaking Bad, and how much his daughter loves him, they of course show Paul's lap around the Top Gear track. How did Aaron Paul do? He completely obliterates the Top Gear celebrity track time and now holds the track record. He went around the Top Gear track in 1:44 on the dot. Not bad since he said he main goal was, “I just don't want to get last.” I guess Aaron Paul picked up some slick driving skills filming Need for Speed. Yeah b@$*h!

Aaron Paul – Top Gear Track Record

Also checkout this cool behind-the-scenes video from Top Gear with Aaron Paul as he does his lap. Regarding driving the Opel Astra compared to the supercars in Need for Speed, “This is more real.” He also said, “I started Need for Speed the day after we wrapped Breaking Bad and the first day I was in a 2 and half million dollar Koenigsegg, which is the craziest car I've ever stepped foot in.”

If you are reading this, than you will be happy to hear Top Gear USA has been cancelled. Thank the car gods!

History Channel decided to cancel Top Gear America after ratings have been in a steady decline. While the show still ranks well in History Channel's overall cable line-up the high cost of production makes it hard to justify the continued cost to make the show. The licensing fees that the BBC charges for use of the Top Gear brand in the US go up each year according to people who worked on the contractual agreements with the BBC. This is a major factor for Top Gear USA getting cancelled since you can't bankroll a show that doesn't make money, even if some idiots like the show.

Finances are not the only reason for the Top Gear USA getting cancelled. Rumors swirled that the 3 hosts of the American version of Top Gear; Adam Ferrara, Tanner Foust, and Rutledge Wood have been fighting off the show. Inside sources claim the three of them claim get along fine on camera but really don't behind-the-scenes. Apparently Adam Ferrara wanted both Rutledge Wood and Tanner Foust off the show as he felt he was the best host. He even told the producers, and both hosts to their faces, that they should be replaced by people that are actually smart and funny.

Insiders close to the show have said that comments from Ferrara infuriated Tanner Foust so much he got into bit of a brawl with the New York comedian. “Ferrara kicked Foust's ass” is what one source told me. Wood seems to be more chill about the situation and it seems he will just go back to his position reporting full time on the NASCAR circuit. History Channel and the producers for the show apparently had strongly considered replacing both Tanner Foust and Rutledge Wood with other hosts when the show aired early on but nothing ever came of it. Wood would have been easy to replace but finding a driver that was a good TV host was a more difficult task for the producers who used a BBC subsidiary for production.

Top Gear America was cancelled for another reason, it was giving people eye cancer since the show was so bad. Reports from Ophthalmologists and Oncologists around the US, and around the world, have filed complaints and sent letters to the History Channel. Most of these doctors are saying the same thing, that Top Gear USA is so terrible people can get eye cancer from watching the show for even short periods of time. “Your chances of contracting eye cancer from watching Top Gear USA is almost guaranteed and we have seen some severe cases recently. Short periods of watching the show might be alright but if you have been exposed at all we recommend you go to a hospital immediately to get checked.” said Dr. Gomes who is head of Oncology at Brigham Hospital in Blue Balls, Pennsylvania. When asked about how many cases and if men or women were more affected, “We mainly see men getting cancer from Top Gear USA. It's not quite as severe as when people watch Keeping up with the Kardashians, but pretty close. We definitely see more women with Kardashian eye cancer. With regards to Top Gear USA eye cancer we've seen a thousands of cases here in Blue Balls.” When I asked about the original Top Gear UK on the BBC Dr. Gomes replied, “I love watching Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond. Unsure of how any other car show could compare to them.” He also reassured me that all his patients were able to make full recoveries from the Top Gear America cancer. The cure is pretty simple, full episodes of Top Gear UK on DVD for several days in a row.

If you love Top Gear and Jeremy Clarkson you are bound to love this video gem I found on the Top Gear Youtube channel. It shows's Jeremy Clarkson trying out Bobsledding with the British Army Bobsleigh (how the Brits say it) team.

This Bobsled segment wasn't filmed for Top Gear but another show, Jeremy Clarkson ‘s Speed Secrets. Since bobsleds can hit 90+ mph they go pretty fast for something that has no engine and just uses gravity and weight. The best part of watching Jeremy Clarkson ridding in a Bobsled is how terrified he looks before and the psychologist's assessment of Clarkson.

Jeremy Clarkson rides in a Bobsled

Jeremy Clarkson gets his first real taste of fear when, he joins the British Army's Bobsleigh team for a ride. Hair-raising clip taken from Jeremy Clarkson's Speed series.

If you like this video check out Top Gear's Winter Olympics – Mini Rally Car vs Skeleton. If you are currently watching the Winter Olympics in Sochi let me know what sports you have enjoyed watching and would like to try. Would you ever try the Bobsled or other ice track sports like Skeleton or Luge?